Director Keith Dunnavant discusses making his latest documentary sports film.
Green in brief: Morrow Landing to offer new French Broad access near Brevard
The land, purchased by Conserving Carolina, falls roughly halfway between the current Island Ford and Hap Simpson Park access points, which are separated by nearly 10 miles of river. Morrow Landing’s placement will therefore facilitate shorter trips by less experienced river users and improve access for emergency responders.
Around Town: Buncombe County Special Collections blog opens to community posts
The Buncombe County Special Collections blog opens up to community submissions. Plus, local multimedia artist puts on augmented reality show, author chronicles history of the Toe River Valley, and photographers express experiences of queerness through visual autobiographies.
From UNC Media Hub: North Carolina’s mountain bike trail builders create the rides
Western North Carolina is a mountain biking hub on the East Coast. And demand for new trails is high. Since the beginning of the pandemic, mountain biking has skyrocketed in popularity nationwide.
Buncombe park turf replacement to cost extra $1.25M
At the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners meeting of Tuesday, March 1, members will be asked to approve a $1.25 million increase to the county’s contract with Georgia-based AstroTurf for designing and installing artificial turf fields at the Buncombe County Sports Park.
Q&A with Janet Cone, director of athletics at UNC Asheville
by Bob Rose The UNC Asheville athletic department is a modest NCAA Division I program by comparison to other top-level programs in North Carolina, such as the North Carolina Tar Heels or Duke Blue Devils. However, the Bulldogs’ longtime athletic director Janet Cone is a mover and shaker among college sports administrators. Cone is a […]
Asheville Tourists players pursue big league dreams in offseason
As players count the days until Feb. 14 — the day pitchers and catchers report to spring training — Xpress spoke with two Tourists from the 2021 season about their time in Asheville, their plans for the winter months and how the minor league experience isn’t as glamorous as it may seem.
Memorial Stadium improvements excite soccer community
Planned improvements to Memorial Stadium, located just east of the Asheville Tourists’ McCormick Field, include new artificial turf with improved drainage, new stormwater infrastructure, the installation of sidewalks and access to existing concrete bleachers in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Asheville Motor Speedway’s legacy endures
More than two decades after the speedway closed, some of its most passionate supporters gauge the historical significance of “The River,” as well as the opportunities available to modern racing fans and drivers.
Q&A with Demp Bradford, president of the Asheville Buncombe Regional Sports Commission
Certain activities are closely associated with Asheville: sampling local craft brews, tubing down the French Broad River, eating one’s own weight in barbecue. If Demp Bradford, president of the Asheville Buncombe Regional Sports Commission, has his way, professional sports will become quintessentially Asheville, too. Bradford, a native of the North Carolina Piedmont, became interested in […]
Asheville debuts esports leagues
At a time when COVID-19 makes meeting up for in-person sports less safe, says Asheville Parks and Recreation staffer Maxime Pierre, virtual activities provide an outlet for competition and help to keep the department relevant. But he says video games also allow the city to engage with a larger group of residents than had been served through traditional sports.
Costumed adventures allow locals to transcend time and space
Whether playing a role in an elaborate fantasy scenario or serving as historical interpreters, many adventurous souls in Western North Carolina say that dressing up as someone from another time and place helps transport them to a different reality.
Smart Bets: Mountain Heritage Day
Western Carolina University’s annual celebration of Southern Appalachian returns to campus on Sept. 28.
News Briefs: New N.C. House maps for Buncombe, Eastern Band re-elects Sneed
As currently drawn, the proposed districts would shift representation for large areas of Buncombe County. A 2011 state law also required that districts for the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners match those of the county’s House representatives. As currently drawn, the maps would move Commissioner Jasmine Beach-Ferrara from District 1 to District 2, shift Al Whitesides from District 1 to District 3 and reassign Amanda Edwards from District 2 to District 1.
Marcus ‘Mook’ Cunningham excels in hip-hop and pro wrestling
The local multifaceted entertainer’s next pro wrestling match takes place Aug. 3 at the Fairview Community Center.
Asheville Archives: Babe Ruth’s short-lived death in Asheville, 1925
In 1925, Babe Ruth and the New York Yankees were scheduled to play an exhibition game in Asheville. A bellyache and subsequent collapse would put a stop to Ruth’s play that day.
Zoë Mihalas gets young people outside
Mihalas received the Distinguished Service Award for Youth Education from Trout Unlimited last year for her work in creating a new generation of conservation-minded youth. She challenges young people to share photos of fishing or having outdoors fun with friends on Instagram to bridge the gap between nature and social media.
Resolutions: Combat obesity, curb stress, says Karla Furnari
Athlete and Buncombe County Special Olympics coordinator Karla Furnari says she’s trying to get into bed by 10 p.m. every night in 2019.
Resolutions: Mental health is key, says Jan Calder
Jan Calder, chief health and wellness officer at the Asheville YWCA, plans to take a new boxing class this year and try spin bikes. She advises setting health goals with an end date to provide a concrete target.
Area practitioners offer different takes on cause, treatment of leading foot complaint
Conventional and alternative practitioners differ on the causes, treatment and even the best name for common heel pain. But whether they believe the problem should be known as plantar fasciitis — indicating an inflammation of the tissues — or plantar fasciosis — a name that points to insufficient blood supply and resulting tissue deterioration, local practitioners agree that it’s the No. 1 reason people seek professional foot care.
Bodybuilder wins division title, comes in second overall
Jordan Hutchinson, the Fletcher bodybuilder profiled in the Sept. 12 issue of Xpress, won the light heavyweight division at the North Carolina National Physique Committee Muscle Heat bodybuilding show in Greensboro on Sept. 15, but just missed taking the overall title.